1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a banknote processing device and a mounting table therefor capable of sucking up paper dust and dirt generated in the course of banknote processing.
2. Description of the Related Art
Techniques for preventing dispersion of paper dust, dust, etc. (hereinafter “dust”) generated in the course of processing large quantities of banknotes by using banknote processing devices are known in the art. Dust comes off the banknotes when the banknotes are transported and stacked at a high speed, and this dust gets dispersed around due to an air flow brought about by the transportation and stacking of the banknotes.
A banknote processing device having a stacking unit that has an opening is particularly disadvantageous in that a large amount of dust coming off the banknotes is directed at a user. The banknote processing device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Registration No. 2600100 provides a solution to this problem by way of arranging a suction device on a lateral side of the device main unit.
Meanwhile, the banknote processing device disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. H4-77 includes a suction device below a banknote transport path for sucking in the dust. The banknote processing device further includes a blocking shield above an open stacking unit to prevent dispersion of the dust.
However, in the conventional technologies described above where the suction device is provided on the lateral side of the stacking unit or below the transport path, there is a disadvantage that not all the dust dispersing from the stacking unit gets sucked in. If a larger suction device is used to get a better suction effect, there will be an undesirable increase in the overall size and weight of the banknote processing device. A large suction device is particularly unsuitable for a small-sized banknote processing device meant for mounting on a table or a counter. Furthermore, even if the blocking shield is provided between the stacking unit and the user, the dust that is floating around in the air cannot be fully blocked. This results in the dust that has dispersed in the air settling eventually on an underside of the stacking unit and on the mounting table, which is undesirable.